KR20060071873A - Luminous unit with light source, light conductor and light deflecting region - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention relates to a light emitting unit having at least one light source and at least one light conductor optically connected downstream of the light source, the light conductors having stepwise arranged light redirecting surfaces illuminated directly or indirectly by the light source. In such a light emitting unit, the greater the distance from the light source illuminating the light turning surface or the light reflector illuminating the light turning surfaces to the light turning surface, the larger the unit area of the light turning surface becomes. By the present invention, a light emitting unit is developed for generating uniformly distributed emission light whose light exit surface can be configured almost freely.

Light emitting unit, light source, light conductor, light reflector, light redirecting surface, stepped shape, light emitting surface

Description

Luminescent unit with light source, light conductor, and light redirecting zone {LUMINOUS UNIT WITH LIGHT SOURCE, LIGHT CONDUCTOR AND LIGHT DEFLECTING REGION}

1 is an isometric perspective view of an optical conductor;

2 shows a light emitting unit with a light conductor according to FIG. 1;

3 is a side view of the light conductor according to FIG. 1;

4 is a detail view of the light redirecting zone;

5 is a detailed view of a forward reflector with scattering optical mechanism.

<Explanation of symbols for the main parts of the drawings>

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Ambient and air 2: Light emitting unit 6: Light source 9: Radiation direction 10: Light conductor

11: Back 12: Front 13, 14: End face 21: Light splitter 22: Outside

23: Light incident surface 25: Interface of recesses 26-29: 25

31, 41: stepped section 32, 42: stepped section, step surface, interface

33, 43: stepped, backside, interfaces 34, 44; 35, 45; 36, 46: vertex line segment

51: V type notch 52, 53: Notch surface 61: Upper light emitting unit

62: upper fixing flange 63: longitudinal notch 64: vertex line

65, 66: 63 interface 67: 66 surface elements 71, 91: light exit surface

81: lower light emitting unit 82: lower fixing flange 84: vertex line

85, 86: 83 boundary face 87: 86 face element

101: Light through 126 102 to 109: Light reflected from 126 and 132-139

125: light splitter 126, 127: light deflecting and refracting surface, light reflector

132-139: Light redirecting face 151: Forward light splitter 152, 153: Reflecting face

166: segmented total reflection optical mechanism 167: reflective element, outer section

The present invention relates to a light emitting unit having at least one light source and at least one light conductor optically connected downstream of the light source, the light conductors having stepwise arranged light redirecting surfaces illuminated directly or indirectly by the light source.

A light emitting unit of that type is known from EP 1 167 869 A2. The light conductor is a wedge shaped part whose tip is directed against the light source. Both wedge faces, one of which is a reflective surface and the other that is a light exit surface, have a regular structure. The light exit face has an auxiliary optical mechanism to achieve the desired optical impression. In other words, the configuration of the light exit surface varies depending on the desired optical effect.

Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to develop a light emitting unit for generating uniformly distributed emission light whose light exit surface can be configured almost freely.

Such an object is achieved by the features of the independent claims. To that end, the greater the distance from the light source illuminating the light turning surface or the light reflector illuminating the light turning surfaces to the light turning surface, the larger the unit area of the light turning surface becomes.

Further details of the invention will be apparent from the following detailed description of the other dependent claims and the schematically illustrated embodiment.

Hereinafter, the present invention will be described in more detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

2 shows a plan view of a light emitting unit 2, for example a tail light of an automobile. Such a light emitting unit 2 comprises a light source 6, for example a light emitting diode, an incandescent lamp, a halogen lamp and the like, and an optical conductor 10 optically connected downstream of the light source 6. The light source 6 may be attached to the optical conductor 10, molded integrally with the optical conductor 10, clipped to the optical conductor 10, or otherwise mounted.

1 and 3 show the optical conductor 10 without the light source 6. Here, FIG. 1 shows an isometric view of the back surface 11 of the light conductor 10, and FIG. 3 shows a side view of the light conductor 10. As shown in FIG.

In the case of the light emitting unit 2 which is assembled to an automobile not shown here, the light source 6 is mounted on the back 11 of the light conductor 10, for example, inside the automobile. From the outside of the vehicle, for example, two light emitting surfaces 71 and 91 in contact with the vehicle contour can be seen in the light emitting unit 2. Two such light exit faces 71, 91 are arranged, for example, on the front face 12 of the light conductor 10.

The light emitting unit 2 is formed axially symmetric with respect to the virtual vertical longitudinal center plane as well as the virtual horizontal longitudinal center plane via the light source 5, for example. Such two planes intersect in an imaginary straight line oriented in the radial direction 9 via the light source 6.

The optical conductor 10 is, for example, an integral plastic body made of a transparent integral plastic body, such as PMMA, modified PMMI, or the like. The light conductor 10 consists of a light distributor 21, an upper light emitting unit 61, and a lower light emitting unit 81, for example. The length of the light conductor 10 is four times its depth and two to four times its height in the embodiment shown in FIGS.

The light splitter 21 is a crescent shaped part in this embodiment. The light splitter 21 has the same length as the light conductor 10 in this embodiment. The depth of the light splitter 21 is about 11% of its length and its height is about 6% of its length. On the rear outer surface 22 of the light splitter 21, the light incident surface 23 lies symmetrically in the vertical transverse center plane. Such light incident face 23 is, for example, a square plane whose edge length coincides with the height of the light distributor 21.

The outer surface 22 consists of stepped zones 31 and 41, respectively, on either side of the light incident surface 23, which stepped zones 31 and 41 define the light incident surface 23 at each end face 13. , 14).

The individual steps 32, 33; 42, 43 of each stepped area 31; 41 consist of step faces 32; 42 and adjacent back sides 33; 43. Those faces are the boundary faces of the light splitter 21 with respect to the periphery 1. The individual step faces 32 and 42 lie approximately parallel to one another, for example, and are perpendicular to the horizontal longitudinal center plane of the light emitting unit. The individual step faces 32 and 42 form an angle of 45 degrees with the vertical transverse center plane. The step faces 32; 42 may be at an angle different from the vertical transverse center plane.

The step face 32; 42 and the back faces 33; 43 adjacent to both sides are at an angle of 90 degrees to each other in the figure of FIG. Such angles they make can be acute or obtuse. Vertex line segments 34 and 44, shown as vertices in the top view of FIG. 2, are the peak lines of the concave notches.

Within each stepped zone 31; 41, the spacing of the individual vertex segments 34; 44 is not constant with each other. For any vertex segment 34; 44, the spacing between the vertex segment 35; 45 and its vertex segment 34; 44 further away from the light incident face 23 is greater than the light incident face 23. It is smaller than the spacing between the adjacent vertex segments 36 and 46 and their vertex segments 34 and 44. As the two adjacent vertex segments 34, 35; 34, 36; 44, 45; 44, 46 are further away from the light incident surface 23, the two adjacent vertex segments 34, 35; 34, 36; 44, 45; 44, 46) becomes even smaller.

The light splitter 21 has a recess 25 whose cross section is rectangular, for example, which recesses symmetrically with respect to the vertical transverse center plane. The length of the short diagonal of the recess 25 is for example 44% of the depth of the light splitter 21 and the length of the long diagonal is for example 80% of the depth of the light splitter 21. The distance from the light incident surface 23 to the recess 25 is for example one fifth of the depth of the light distributor 21. The cross section of the recess 25 diminishes towards the horizontal longitudinal center plane, for example.

The boundary surfaces 26, 27 of the recess 25, which are closer to the light incident surface 23, are outer sections, for example cylindrical, ellipsoidal, parabolic, conical and the like. If the boundary surfaces 26 and 27 are sections of a cylindrical body or cone, the base of the cylinder or cone may be circular, elliptical, oval, or the like. Its base may border a continuous or discontinuous solid surface, such as a parabolic surface, with any curvature. It is also conceivable to construct such interface 26, 27 as a flat surface.

The boundary surfaces 28, 29 of the recess 25 further away from the light incident surface 23 may be flat surfaces or outer surface sections such as cylinders, ellipsoids, parabolas, cones and the like.

The light splitter 21 has at least approximately V-shaped notches 51 at its front face 12 oriented in the longitudinal direction of the light conductor 10, the center plane of the notches 51 being the light emitting unit 2. The horizontal longitudinal center of coincides with the plane. Notched faces 52, 53 are, for example, outer sections of a cylinder, in which case the cylinder has a bottom that borders a continuous, discontinuous closed solid surface that is circular, elliptical, oval, or the like. In some cases, the notched faces 52, 53 may be flat, or may consist of individual face elements that are continuously or discontinuously curved. The notch angle formed by the two notch faces 52, 53 is less than 100 degrees, for example.

The two light emitting units 61, 81 are arranged symmetrically with respect to the horizontal longitudinal center plane of the light emitting unit 2. The length corresponds to the length of the light conductor 10 in this embodiment, and the depth is approximately two thirds of the depth of the light conductor 10.

Each light emitting unit 61, 81 has on its back 11 triangular longitudinal notches 63, 83 over its entire length, the depth of the triangular longitudinal notches 63, 83 being Approximately 20% of the depth of the light conductor 10. Here, the vertex lines 64, 84 of the longitudinal notches 63, 83 are spaced apart by the height of the light conductor 10 with respect to the horizontal longitudinal center plane. The notch angle of the longitudinal notches 63, 83 is for example 46 degrees. The boundary faces 65, 85 of the longitudinal notches 63, 83 distant from the horizontal longitudinal center plane are, for example, flat surfaces lying parallel to the horizontal longitudinal center plane.

The boundary faces 66, 86 of the longitudinal notches 63, 83 lying close to the horizontal longitudinal center plane consist of the individual face elements 67, 87. Such face elements 67, 87 are, for example, outer face sections of the outwardly convex cylindrical body, see FIG. 1 and FIG. 5. The face elements 67, 87 lie parallel to one another, the imaginary cylindrical axes of which are oriented across the longitudinal direction of the light conductor 10, the length of which corresponds to the width of each boundary face 66, 86. Matches. Such face elements 67, 87 may also be outer face sections, such as ellipsoids, parabolas, and the like. They can be convex or concave. The virtual axes of such face elements may be inclined with respect to the longitudinal direction of the light conductor 10.

The light exit faces 71, 91 are outer sections of the cylinder. The cylinders to which the light exit surfaces belong, which lie parallel to the horizontal longitudinal center plane, have, for example, the length of the light conductor 10, the cross section of which is elliptical. The cylinders are separated by a quarter of the height of the light conductor 10 with respect to the horizontal longitudinal center plane. The height of the light exit surfaces 71, 91 corresponds to approximately one third of the height of the light conductor 10, for example.

Optical lenses may be disposed on the light exit surfaces 71 and 91.

For example, for fixing to a vehicle, the light conductor 10 has an upper fixing flange 62 and a lower fixing flange 82. Such fixing flanges 62, 82 are for example part of the upper light emitting unit 61 or the lower light emitting unit 81.

At the time of manufacture of the light emitting unit 2, the optical conductor 10 is produced by the injection molding method, for example. In that case, for example, one or more electrical elements of the light emitting diode 6 can be molded integrally. By such a manufacturing method, the optical conductor 10 becomes largely uniform. Individual areas of the surface of the light conductor 10 can be treated specularly.

For assembly to a motor vehicle, the light emitting unit 2 is fixed to the vehicle body by, for example, an upper fixing flange 62 and a lower fixing flange 82 and electrically connected to the light source 6. In some cases, blinds, not shown here, may be placed between the light exit surfaces 71 and 91. The size of the light emitting unit 2 assembled in the automobile is essentially determined by the dimensions of the light conductor. That is, the assembling length of the light emitting unit 2 coincides with the length of the light conductor 10, and the assembling height thereof coincides with the height of the light conductor 10. Referring to FIG. 2, the assembly depth is determined by the depths of the light conductor 10 and the light source 6.

When the light emitting unit 2 is turned off, light exit surfaces 71 and 91 can be seen from the outside of the vehicle. The light exit faces 71, 91 appear to be evenly colored faces.

When driving the light emitting unit 2, the light 101 to 109 that emits light from the light source 6 is directed to the light splitter 21 of the light conductor 10 through the light incident surface 23 in the radiation direction 9. Proceed. In the light splitter 21, light 101-109 strikes the interface of the recess 25 formed by the interface faces 26, 27. Such an interface becomes light deflecting and refracting surfaces 126, 127 for light impinging upon it.

Light 101 hitting such light redirecting and refracting surfaces 126, 127 at an angle smaller than the limit angle of total reflection relative to the repair (for example, 43 degrees in an optical conductor made of PMMA) results in light deflection and It proceeds to the recess 25 through the refractive surfaces 126, 127. Some of such light 10 enters the light conductor 10 again under new refraction.

Light 102-109 that strikes the light redirecting and refracting surfaces 126, 127 at an angle greater than the material-specific total reflection limit angle is reflected at the surfaces 126, 127.

Two light redirecting and refracting surfaces 126, 127 disposed symmetrically with each other form a light splitter 125. Such light 102-109 is directed to the other half of the light splitter 21 shown at the top of FIG. 2 as well as to the other half of the light splitter 21 shown at the bottom of the same view when it hits the light splitter 125. Is turned. In Figures 2 and 4, the reflected light diverging light 102-109 is shown simplified in parallel bundles of light 102-109.

The two light reflectors 126, 127 of the light splitter 125 are indirect light sources for each half of the light splitter 21. In the light splitter 21, the reflected light 102-109 is directed towards the step faces 32, 42, with reference to FIG. 4.

4 shows details of the upper half of the light turning zone shown in FIG. 2. At each of the interfaces 32 and 42, only the section abutting the vertex segments 34 and 44 is illuminated respectively. Each such section is a light redirecting face 132-139. Such light redirecting faces 132-139 are arranged stepwise, of which light redirecting faces 132 have the smallest spacing with respect to the light reflector 126, of which light redirecting faces 132-139 are shown. Face 139 is furthest away from light reflector 126. When the light source 6 is turned on, some of the lights 102-109 illuminate the light redirecting face 132, some of the light 103 illuminates the light redirecting face 133, and so on. The lights 102-109 of the individual regions lie directly next to each other upon leaving the light reflector 126. The interfaces formed by the back faces 33 and 43 are free faces.

As the individual light redirecting faces 132-139 are further away from the light reflector 126, the light redirecting faces 132-139 protrude farther into the light distributor 21 (to the right in FIG. 4). In that case, the size at which the light redirecting faces 133-139 separated by the light reflector 126 protrude into the light distributor 21 farther than the nearest ball redirecting face 132 is not constant. Such size increases with the spacing of the light redirecting faces 132-139 with respect to the light reflector 126. That is, if at least the light redirecting faces 132-139 are approximately parallel, the surface area of the further away light redirecting faces 132-139 is greater than the surface area of the next closer light redirecting faces 132-139. .

For example, light 105 illuminating light redirecting surface 135 is reflected to the right at light redirecting surface 135 in the diagram of FIG. 4. There will be a wider than the adjacent light band 104 (105). As such, the luminous intensity reflected at the light redirecting surface 135 is greater than the luminous intensity redirected at the light redirecting surface 134. At the same time, such a clown 105 is narrower than the clown 106 reflected at the light redirecting face 136. As a result, the light redirecting surface 135 is also redirected at a smaller intensity than at the light redirecting surface 136. Thereby, the luminous flux of the redirected light bundle is at least approximately equal.

In the figures of FIGS. 2 and 4, the light 107 lying next to the partial light 106 to the right when leaving the light reflector 126 is next to the light redirecting surface 136 at its apex segment 34. Illuminate the far away light redirecting face 137. The partial light 106 itself that illuminates the light redirecting face 136 abuts the light redirecting face 135. As a result, the entire reflected light 102-109 strikes the light redirecting faces 132-139.

Light 102-109 that strikes light redirecting faces 132-139 will have different luminous intensity, especially based on the absorption of material. That is, the further away light redirecting faces 132-139 are illuminated at lower luminous intensity or illuminance than the closer light redirecting faces 132-139.

The imaginary centerlines of the individual light redirecting faces 132-139 have at least approximately equal mutual spacing and are parallel to each other in this embodiment. The stepped shape of the light redirecting faces 132-139, ie the mutual spacing of the individual vertex segments 34, 35; 34, 36, increases the distance from the light reflector 126 to the light redirecting faces 132-139. Decrease accordingly.

Light redirecting faces 132-139 may be comprised of multiple individual faces.

The light bundles 102 to 109 reflected at the light deflecting faces 132 to 139 are almost uniform, which means that the lower light intensity at the sections farther from the light reflectors 126 and 127 is wider. 139).

The uniformly distributed light 102-109 strikes the interfaces of the conductor 10 formed by the notched faces 52, 53. Such two interfaces make an angle to the 360 degree of the V-shaped notch 51, ie an angle of at least 260 degrees. The interfaces form a forward light splitter 151, wherein the imaginary symmetry plane of the forward light splitter 151 is oriented perpendicular to the imaginary symmetry plane of the light splitter 125. The forward light splitter 151 has two reflective surfaces 152, 153, and the light 101-109 hitting the reflective surfaces 152, 153 in the figures of FIGS. 1 and 3 is upward or downward. Is turned into. Due to the convexity of the reflective surfaces 152, 153, the light 101-109 reflected from the reflective surfaces 152, 153 is focused. In some cases, the faces 152 and 153 are provided with scattering optics, for example, to scatter light 101 to 109 in the longitudinal direction of the light conductor 10.

Light 101-109 reflected from the forward light splitter 151 strikes the interfaces formed by the boundary faces 66, 86 of the longitudinal notches 63, 83. The face elements 67, 87 form a segmented total reflection optical mechanism 166 that redirects the impinged light 101-109 towards the light exit faces 71, 91. In that case, the lights 101 to 109 are fanned out in the longitudinal direction of the light conductor 10, for example by the semi-cylindrical reflective element 167 shown in FIG. 6. Such reflective element 167 may be, for example, a section of cylindrical segment whose segment angle is less than 180 degrees. The underside of the cylinder may also border the parabolic section, the ellipsoidal section. The optical axis of the reflective element 167 shown here may also be at an angle other than 90 degrees with the longitudinal axis of the optical conductor 10.

Such reflected and unfolded light bundles 101 to 109 travel through the light exit surfaces 71 and 91 to the periphery 1. The imaginary axes of the light exit faces 71; 91 are parallel to the imaginary symmetry faces of the forward light splitter 151, for example.

When the light emitting unit 2 is driven, the light exit surfaces 71 and 91 are seen as uniformly illuminated surfaces. Thus, the light exit surfaces 71, 91 can be freely configured in the manufacture of the light emitting unit 2 and can be adapted to, for example, the vehicle body of an automobile, and can be formed along its periphery, for example. The light exit faces 71, 91 appear to be optically smooth, for example.

The light emitting unit 2 may be configured asymmetrically. The light turning faces 132-139 can be directly illuminated by the light source 6, for example. The light emitting unit 2 may be provided with a plurality of light sources 6 and / or a plurality of light conductors 10.

Reflecting surfaces 152, 153 and / or light redirecting surfaces 130-140 of the redirecting light splitter 151 may have scattering optical mechanisms 166.

In an automobile, only a small assembly space is required for the light emitting unit 2. By arranging the light source 6 on the back surface 11, the light emitting unit 2 can be assembled sideways on the same plane. That is, for example, a plurality of light emitting units can be arranged next to each other, so that, for example, clowns can be generated that emit long and uniform light which are continuous in parallel. It is also conceivable to arrange the plurality of light emitting units 2 up and down with each other.

1 to 3, the radiation direction 9 lies perpendicular to the imaginary tangential plane of the two light exit faces 71, 91. However, the light source 6 may be arranged such that the radial direction 9 forms a solid angle with the tangential plane and an acute angle.

The light emitting unit 2 may be composed of a single part or a plurality of parts.

In the light emitting unit according to the present invention, the greater the distance from the light source illuminating the light turning surface or the light reflector illuminating the light turning surface to the light turning surface, the larger the unit area of the light turning surface is, so as to emit light. While the surface can be configured almost freely, it is possible to generate uniformly distributed emission light. Specifically, the low luminous intensity in the sections away from the light reflector is compensated by the wider light redirecting surface so that the bundle of light reflected at the light redirecting surfaces becomes uniform.

Claims (15)

A light emitting unit comprising at least one light source and at least one light conductor optically connected downstream of the light source and having light redirecting surfaces arranged in a stepped manner that are directly or indirectly illuminated by the light source, As the distance from the light source 6 illuminating the light turning faces 132 to 139 or the light reflectors 126 and 127 illuminating the light turning faces 132 to 139 increases, And a unit area of the light redirecting surfaces 132 to 139 becomes larger and larger. The light emitting unit according to claim 1, wherein the light (103 to 109) in contact with the light turning surfaces (132 to 139) hits the next far away light turning surfaces (133 to 139). The method of claim 1, wherein the stepped shape of the light turning surfaces 132 to 139 decreases as the distance from the light source 6 or the light reflectors 126 and 127 to the light turning surfaces 132 to 139 increases. Light emitting unit. A light emitting unit according to claim 1, wherein the individual light reflectors (126; 127) are part of a light splitter (125). 5. Light emitting unit according to claim 4, characterized in that the light redirecting faces (132 to 139) are arranged symmetrically with respect to the light source (6). The light emitting unit according to claim 1, wherein the light redirecting faces (132 to 139) are optically connected downstream of the forward light splitter (151). 7. The light emitting unit according to claim 5 or 6, wherein the virtual symmetry plane of the forward light splitter (151) is oriented perpendicular to the virtual symmetry plane of the light splitter (125). 7. Light emitting unit according to claim 6, characterized in that the forward light splitter (151) has reflective surfaces (152, 153) at an angle of at least 260 degrees to each other. The light conductor 10 of claim 1, wherein the light conductor 10 has one or more reflective surfaces 152 having boundary surfaces 66, 86, one or more light redirecting surfaces 132-139, or segmented total reflection optical mechanisms 166. And a light emitting unit, comprising: 153. 10. Light emitting unit according to claim 9, characterized in that the segmented total reflection mechanisms (166) are outer section (167) of the cylindrical body disposed adjacent to and parallel to each other. 2. Light emitting unit according to claim 1, characterized in that the light conductor (10) has at least one light exit face (71; 91) which is a surface section of the cylinder. 12. The light emitting unit according to any one of claims 7 to 11, wherein the virtual axis of the light exit face (71; 91) is arranged parallel to the virtual symmetry plane of the forward light splitter (151). 13. Light conductor 10 according to claim 12, wherein the light conductor 10 is axially symmetric with respect to two imaginary symmetrical planes which are perpendicular to one another, with a common straight line of the two symmetrical planes passing through the light source 6 in the radial direction 9 Light emitting unit; The light emitting unit according to claim 1, wherein the depth of the light conductor (10) is at most 30% of the length of the light conductor (10). The light emitting unit according to claim 1, wherein the light source (6) is a light emitting diode.

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